Flag system for use with a mailbox

ABSTRACT

A flag system for use with a mailbox utilizes an elongated body having two opposite ends and which defines a recess which opens out of one end thereof. In addition, a flag member is slidably received by the recess of the body for movement between a retracted position at which the flag member is substantially withdrawn into the recess and an extended position. A channel which is defined in the recess cooperates with the flag member to guide the flag member between the retracted and extended positions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention is concerned with means for signaling a postman that outgoing mail needs to be picked up by the postman.

[0002] There exists a need for an improved, durable system for signalling a postman that mail needs to be picked up. Such a system can be embodied in a mailbox or a self-contained plate assembly which can either be attached to the side of a house or against the side of a mailbox post.

[0003] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved system for signalling a postman that mail needs to be picked up.

[0004] Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system which can be embodied in a mailbox or a self-contained plate assembly which can either be attached to a vertical surface, such as the side of a mailbox, house or the column of a porch.

[0005] Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a system having a surface upon which relevant address information, such as a house number, can be displayed.

[0006] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a system which is durable and resists damage by vandals or the weather.

[0007] A further object of the present invention is to provide such a system which is uncomplicated in structure, yet effective in operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] This invention resides in a flag system for use with a mailbox.

[0009] The flag system includes an elongated body having two opposite ends and defines a recess which opens out of one end thereof. The system further includes a flag member which is slidably received in the recess of the body for movement between a retracted position at which the flag member is substantially withdrawn into the recess and an extended position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mailbox and an embodiment of flag system shown attached to the mailbox.

[0011]FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the FIG. 1 flag system as seen from one side thereof.

[0012]FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a side of the FIG. 1 flag system as seen from the back in FIG. 2.

[0013]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken about along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

[0014]FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 of an alternative embodiment of a flag system.

[0015]FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 of the FIG. 5 embodiment.

[0016]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a mailbox which is mounted within a brick post and the flag system embodiment shown attached to the brick post.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Turning now to the drawings in greater detail and considering first FIG. 1, there is illustrated an embodiment, generally indicated 20, of a system within which features of the present invention are incorporated and which is incorporated within the side of a mailbox 31. The system 20 includes an elongated body 22 having two opposite ends 24, 26 and further includes a flag member 28 which is mounted within the body 22.

[0018] With reference to FIGS. 2-4, the body 22 of the system 20 includes a recess 30 which-opens out of one end 24 thereof, and the flag member 28 is received by the recess 30 for slidable movement (endwise) therealong. In this connection and as best shown in FIG. 3, the recess 30 of the body 22 includes an interior surface 31 along which is defined a guide channel 32. The channel 32 is provided by a shallow groove 34 which extends along the length of the recess 30. This groove 34 has opposite and parallel sidewalls 36 and terminates adjacent one end 24 of the channel 32 at an abutment surface 38 which extends between and is oriented at a right angle with respect to the channel sidewalls 36. As will be apparent herein, the sidewalls 36 guide the flag member 28 as it is moved between a retracted position (as illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 2) and an extended position (as illustrated in phantom in FIG. 2), and the abutment surface 38 cooperates with the flag member 28 to limit the movement of the flag member 28 from the retracted position to the extended position.

[0019] The body 22 further includes a side surface 40 (FIG. 4) which is oriented substantially parallel to the interior surface 31 (along which the flag member is guided as it is moved between the retracted and extended positions), and the recess 30 opens away from the side surface 40. In the body 22 of the depicted embodiment 20, the body surface 40 is flat and provides a surface against which address-related indicia, such as a house number, can be printed or attached. In addition, the body 22 includes a plurality of openings 42 adjacent the edges thereof for accepting the shanks of screws or nails for attachment of the body 22 to a vertical surface of a mailbox or other stationary surface, such as a column of a porch.

[0020] To enhance the durability of the system 20, each of the body 22 and flag member 28 are constructed out of a durable material, such as hard plastic, metal or wood (although other materials can be used) and each is provided with an appreciable thickness. Such a durability can be appreciated when vandals, who sometimes will strike a mailbox with a baseball bat or similar object, strike the system 22. Thus, the system 20 resists damage by vandals and will also resist weather-related damage.

[0021] As best shown in FIG. 4, the flag member 28 is somewhat L-shaped in cross section having a long leg 44 and a short leg 46 joined to the long leg 44 at a right angle with respect thereto. In addition, the flag member 28 includes a stop member 48 in the form of a boss which is joined to the long leg 44 at the end thereof opposite the short leg 46 so as to extend in the direction opposite the direction which the short leg 46 extends.

[0022] The flag member 28 is positioned within the recess 30 so that the stop member 48 is received by the channel 32. Furthermore, the flag member 28 is held in place in the recess 30 by shoulder members 50 which are formed within and which are disposed adjacent the top and bottom of the body 22 (as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3) and the cooperation between the stop member 48 and the abutment surface 38. Held in place in this manner, the flag member 28 can be slidably moved along the length of the recess 30 as the stop member 48 is guided along the channel 32. The inward movement of the flag member 28 within the recess 30 is limited (to the retracted position) by the abutment of the short leg 46 of the flag member 88 against the end 24 of the body 22, and the outward movement of the flag member 28 along the length of the recess 30 is limited (to the extended position) by the abutment of the stop member 48 against the abutment surface 38 of the channel 32.

[0023] In use, the system 20 is attached, as with screws or nails which extend through the openings 42 of the body 22, to the side of the mailbox 21 (or other vertical stationary surface provided by the side of a porch column or the side of a house). The flag member 28 can be manually moved to its extended position to expose a side (of the long leg 44) of the flag member 28 and to thereby indicate a signal, for example, to a postman that there is mail in the mailbox to be picked up. When it is desired that the system 20 not indicate a signal (e.g. that there is no mail to be picked up), the flag member 28 is manually moved to the retracted position and so that the flag member 28 is substantially hidden from view. The flag member 28 can be manually moved between its retracted and extended positions by appropriately manipulating (e.g. pushing or pulling) upon the short leg 46 of the flag member 28.

[0024] Because the flag member 28 is intended to provide a visual indication to a viewer, it is preferred that the color of the flag member 28 sharply contrast that of the body 22. For example, the body 22 of the system 20 can be black or white, while the color of the flag member 28 can be red.

[0025] It will be understood that numerous modifications and substitutions can be had to the aforedescribed embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, although the aforedescribed embodiment 20 has been shown and described as being attachable to the side of a mailbox, the system can be embodied within a side of a mailbox. If, for example, the mailbox and body of the system are constructed out of plastic, the mailbox and body of the system can be formed as a unitary structure in a molding process.

[0026] Furthermore, a system can be provided with dimensions which are different from those of the system 22 (which has a height of about three inches and a length of about four inches). For example, there is illustrated in FIGS. 5-7 an alternative embodiment, generally indicated 60, having a body 62 and a flag member 61, and wherein the body 62 possesses a side surface 64 which provides a relatively large surface (e.g. having a height of about six inches and a length of about twelve inches). The relatively large size of the side surface 64 can accommodate the printing or placement thereon of address-related indicia, such as a house number 66, which is easily viewable from a long distance. As is the case with the embodiment 20 of FIGS. 1-4, the embodiment 60 of FIGS. 5-7 is used by manually moving the flag member 61 between an extended position (as illustrated in solid line in FIG. 6) at which a substantial portion of the flag member 61 is exposed to view and a retracted position (as illustrated in phantom line in FIG. 6) at which the flag member 61 is substantially hidden from view. When attached to the side of a mailbox 80 of FIG. 7 (whose sides are lined with brick), the embodiment 60 provides a flag system for the mailbox 80 while prominently displaying the house number 66.

[0027] Accordingly, the aforedescribed embodiments are intended for the purpose of illustration and not as limitation. 

1. A flag system for use with a mailbox comprising: an elongated body having two opposite ends and defining a recess which opens out of one end thereof; and a flag member which is slidably received in the recess of the body for movement between a retracted position at which the flag member is substantially withdrawn into the recess and an extended position.
 2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the elongated body defines a channel which extends along the length of the recess, and the flag member cooperates with the recess so that as the flag member is moved between the retracted and the extended position, the flag member is guided along the channel.
 3. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein the body includes an abutment surface at one end of the channel, and the flag member includes a stop member which cooperates with the abutment surface so that when the flag member is moved from its retracted position to its extended position, the stop member moves into abutting relationship with the abutment surface so that the movement of the flag member from the retracted position is halted at the extended position.
 4. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the body is adapted to be attached to a vertical surface of a mailbox or other stationary object.
 5. The system as defined in claim 4 wherein the body includes a plurality of openings for receiving the shanks of screws or other fasteners for attaching the body of the system to the vertical surface.
 6. The system as defined in claim 5 wherein the body has a side surface which is substantially parallel to the path of movement of the flag member between the retracted and extended position.
 7. The system as defined in claim 6 wherein the side surface is relatively broad in area and provides a surface upon which address-related indicia can be attached.
 8. The system as defined in claim 7 wherein the height of the side surface is between about three inches and six inches and length of the side surface is between about four inches and six inches.
 9. The system as defined in claim 1 incorporated within the side of a mailbox.
 10. A flag system for use with a mailbox comprising: an elongated body having two opposite ends and defining a recess which opens out of one end thereof; and a flag member which is slidably received in the recess of the body for movement between one position at which the flag member is withdrawn into the recess and is thereby substantially hidden from view and another position at which the flag member is extended from the recess and is substantially viewable from one side of the body.
 11. The system as defined in claim 10 wherein the elongated body defines a channel which extends along the length of the recess, and the flag member cooperates with the recess so that as the flag member is moved between the retracted and the extended position, the flag member is guided along the channel.
 12. The system as defined in claim 11 wherein the body includes an abutment surface at one end of the channel, and the flag member includes a stop member which cooperates with the abutment surface so that when the flag member is moved from its retracted position to its extended position, the stop member moves into abutting relationship with the abutment surface so that the movement of the flag member from the retracted position is halted at the extended position.
 13. The system as defined in claim 10 wherein the body is adapted to be attached to a vertical surface of a mailbox or other stationary object.
 14. The system as defined in claim 13 wherein the body includes a plurality of openings for receiving the shanks of screws or other fasteners for attaching the body of the system to the vertical surface.
 15. The system as defined in claim 10 wherein the body has a side surface which is substantially parallel to the path of movement of the flag member between the retracted and extended position.
 16. The system as defined in claim 15 wherein the side surface is relatively broad in area and provides a surface upon which address-related indicia can be attached.
 17. The system as defined in claim 16 wherein the height of the side surface is between about three inches and six inches and length of the side surface is between about four inches and six inches.
 18. The system as defined in claim 10 incorporated within the side of a mailbox. 